Cardinals Minor League Notebook: 8/18/15

Leonda Markee

08/18/2015

The system won three and dropped two in a short schedule on Monday. Palm Beach, the GCL and DSL clubs all put one in the win column, the GCL Cardinals behind Nick Plummer’s hot bat. But Memphis and Johnson City both fell, the Redbirds in extras.

Two unearned tallies against Mitch Harris proved decisive as Memphis (62-61) fell to Albuquerque in 11 innings. It was the Redbirds’ sixth consecutive loss, encompassing one series’ sweep and three of the first four to the Isotopes.

A throwing error by shortstop Greg Garcia put the lead-off runner aboard against Harris (L, 0-3) in his second inning of work. The righty put two of the next three on via a single and intentional free pass to set up a double play. But a two-out single did the damage, plating two.

Zach Petrick had a solid start, yielding two runs on five hits and a walk over five. He struck out five. Justin Wright tossed a one-two-three sixth before Miguel Socolovich fanned three in two innings, permitting a hit.

The Redbirds were shut down until the seventh when Xavier Scruggs led off with his 12th home run of 2015. A free pass issued to Garcia, one of seven issued by Isotopes’ pitchers, put the tying run on. Jacob Wilson’s two-out double drove him in. Memphis only had three hits for the game.

Springfield (25-25) is fresh off a truly dismal six-game road trip against Midland and Frisco (TEX) in which they won just once. They are still in first place only because Arkansas (LAA) has been unable to capitalize on the S-Cards’ poor play. The Cards have another chance in their upcoming six-game home stand against the same two teams.

Luke Weaver (W, 7-5) continued his dominance of Florida State League batters, striking out seven in 5 1/3 while yielding six hits. Jhonny Polanco retired both batters faced, leaving Weaver’s last runner on.

State College is off for the second straight night for the 2015 New York-Penn League All-Star Game, which will take place on Tuesday, August 18th at Leidos Field at Ripken Stadium, home of the Aberdeen IronBirds. Game time is 7:35 pm ET.

A four-run sixth for Greeneville flipped a Cardinals lead into a deficit, leading to Johnson City’s (23-28) 9-5 loss, evening the series at one game each.

Beginning his third inning on the mound, Juan Caballero (BS, 1) (L, 3-2) did not retire any of the four batters faced, giving him a line of five runs, four earned, on six hits in two plus. Sasha Kuebel permitted a run on four hits and two walks in two, leaving Caballero’s final runner aboard. Ismael Brito hurled a scoreless eighth, allowing a hit.

Starter Ramon Santos had another rough outing, recording just two outs, surrendering three runs on four hits and two bases-on-balls. Chandler Hawkins went 2 1/3, leaving the bases full of Santos’ runners and giving up a hit and free pass.

Magneuris Sierra led the JC-Cards’ nine hit effort, going 3-for-4 with an RBI and stolen base. Ryan McCarvel singled and doubled in five at bats, knocking in three while Anthony Ray went 2-for-4 with a double and two runs scored.

Sandy Alcantara pitched six strong innings and Nick Plummer had a perfect day at the plate, resulting in a 6-1 victory in the series’ opener.

Alcantara blanked the opposition on three hits and a hit batsman, evening his record to three wins versus three losses. The 19-year-old struck out five.

Jacob Schlesener was charged with a run on two hits, two walks and two wild pitches in his two innings on the mound. Brady Bowen gave up a hit in the ninth.

Plummer, our Player of the Day, led the GCL Cardinals’ 11-hit attack, going 3-for-3 with two free passes and a double. The centerfielder and leadoff man took part in half of his team’s scores, touching home twice with an RBI.

Dylan Becker also had three hits, his coming in five at bats, including a double out of the five hole. Shortstop Allen Cordoba went 2-for-4 with a two-run long ball and scored another run as well.

First baseman Daniel Gomez accounted for three tallies, leading the DSL Cardinals (30-37) to a 5-2 victory over the DSL Astros Orange.

Gomez singled twice in four at bats, scoring two and driving in the go-ahead run in the sixth. Third baseman Hector Linares singled twice in three at bats, touching home once. The only multi-base hit of the team’s seven belonged to Wadye Infante, who went 1-for-3 with a triple, walk and two RBI.

Starter Oneiver Diaz shut out his opponents through five, scattering five hits and a base-on-balls. He struck out five and hit one.

Diaz left with his team up 2-0, but Angel Estevez and Edwar Ramirez combined to give that back in the sixth. Estevez issued three free passes, giving way to Ramirez who inherited a sacks jammed with one out mess.

Ramirez (BS, 3) (W, 4-2) allowed two of those three runners to score on a sac fly and throwing error. The 17-year-old allowed a hit and two walks in two. He picked up the win after his team pushed across three in the bottom of the frame. Estalin Tejada went the final 1 2/3, walking two and leaving two inherited runners aboard, for his third save.